Cargill’s Better Beef processing plant at Guelph is set to re-open December 29, after closing at the end of day December 17, due to increasing COVID-19 infections within staff and the community population.
A spokesperson for Cargill says the company plans to re-open the Guelph-Dunlop primary beef facility on Tuesday, after “careful deliberations among Cargill leadership and discussions with the union and local health authorities.”
The plant will run for three days, then close to observe the New Year’s Day holiday, and re-open January 2, 2021.
“As we resume operations, shifts will be varying in length. Employees who report to work will be paid in accordance with their collective bargaining agreement. As noted in our previous statement, our employees will be paid during this week’s idle period in accordance with their collective bargaining agreement,” the company says.
Employees with COVID-19 symptoms or who have had contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days are being asked not to return to work.
“We remain focused on keeping people healthy and delivering safe food to people across Canada,” Cargill says.
Following the plant closure last week, the Ontario government initiated the cattle set-aside program through AgriStability. The initial intake closed Tuesday, Dec 22. More details on that, here.
